Paropsides
Paropsides is a genus of beetles commonly called leaf beetles and in the subfamily Chrysomelinae. Paropsides are small and specialist feeders on native Australian plants. There are 21 species in Australia [1] and they occur mainly on the south-eastern states.[2] The green Paropsides calypso is a native species which commonly attacks the lillipilli genus Syzygium. [3] Paropsides opposita feeds on Tea tree Melaleuca sp.
Paropsides | |
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Paropsides calypso Lillipilli beetle | |
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Genus: | Paropsides Motschulsky, 1860 |
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Paropsides belongs to the Paropsis-group of genera, with similar head, appendages, prosternum, elytra, tarsi and larva. Among these genera it is defined by possession of a single attribute, a full complement of pronotal (thoracic) trichobothria (bristles), which is almost certainly a plesiomorphy. Paropsides is therefore unlikely to be monophyletic.[4]
References
- "Paropsides | Atlas of Living Australia". Bie.ala.org.au. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- "Australian Faunal Directory". Environment.gov.au. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- "Lily Pilly Hedge - Pest eating leaves". Au.gardenweb.com. Retrieved 2015-11-19.
- "Zoootaxa" (PDF). Mapress.com. Retrieved 2015-11-19.